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HR Trends That Matter in 2023: An Insider’s Guide

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People often ask me which HR trends should be on their radar. It’s a fair question, because I organize two of the HR profession’s most popular conferences, UNLEASH America and UNLEASH World. During the programming process, I work closely with hundreds of human resources leaders and industry influencers, as well as HR technology and services providers. Spotting key trends is easy, because patterns appear as I reflect on the topics speakers pitch, along with themes that emerge among exhibitors, attendees, and startup competitions.

This year, 7 closely related HR issues and opportunities are trending:

  1. Asynchronous work
  2. Distributed, remote and hybrid work
  3. Upskilling and reskilling
  4. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
  5. People analytics
  6. Employee experience
  7. AI and automation

These HR trends probably sound familiar, but they continue to define the future of work. That’s why they’ll take center stage at our conferences in the year ahead. For details on what I’m seeing and hearing about these hot topics, read on…

7 HR Trends That Matter Now

1. Asynchronous Work

Asynchronous work is the future of work. It’s an environment where people collaborate and complete tasks without real-time presence or communication.

Some industries have relied on asynchronous work for decades. For example, in the software sector, developers often work from wherever it’s convenient. They rely on a blend of standards, practices, and tools that support distributed project management, team problem solving, and interactions. This improves productivity in various ways — especially by reducing interruptions when people want to focus on their primary tasks.

Asynchronous work also improves the accuracy of strategic planning and decision making. Without accuracy, running a business is very difficult.

Many companies are still striving to enable asynchronous work. This includes connecting systems of record so relevant data is secure but also highly available. The goal is to ensure that information isn’t scattered, so people don’t need to call or message others whenever a question arises. Speed bumps like these can create huge volumes of reactive work.

An asynchronous work infrastructure is the foundation of another key HR trend: distributed, remote and hybrid work…

2. Distributed, Remote, and Hybrid Work Models

The pandemic was like a time machine. It instantly catapulted much of the world into a variety of work models that many of us discussed for decades, but hadn’t implemented. Now, these work models are here to stay.

For example, consider one of our biggest clients. At the start of 2020, this company was planning an 18-month global roll out of Microsoft Teams. But when the pandemic struck, they actually rolled-out Teams within only a few days!

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Organizations of all types suddenly had to embrace flexible work  arrangements. Now, although some teams are returning to the office, remote work structures remain. This is driving demand for hybrid work, where people can engage remotely at least one day a week.

Another HR trend emerging from the pandemic is the four-day work week. Previously, this was also widely discussed but not widely implemented. Then, during quarantine, flexible work arrangements became a necessity. This paved the way for ongoing adoption of the four-day work week and other innovative scheduling models.

Pandemic-era flexible work arrangements also helped many employees improve work/life balance. This is yet another HR trend that received attention in the past, but was rarely achieved.

Flexible work models aren’t perfect. But I doubt we’ll ever return to a world where people go to the office and work from 9-5 all week. We’ve seen flexible work succeed, even under the most difficult circumstances. We now know it doesn’t make sense to endure long, expensive commutes and childcare struggles. And why limit creativity and productivity to a prescribed time and place?

3. Upskilling and Reskilling

Although tech industry layoffs are rampant and a recession is looming, the war for talent continues to escalate. But this isn’t really news. It’s been building for years. So, what is the HR trend to watch here?

Many workers who perform repetitive tasks increasingly feel frustrated by a lack of career growth. For decades, we’ve discussed the gap between these jobs and knowledge work. But now, the gap is growing even wider, as technology continues to advance and employers invest more heavily in upskilling and reskilling knowledge workers.

To keep top talent onboard, employers are making learning and development a priority. Professional development is also a powerful way to attract new talent in an increasingly competitive hiring climate. But what does this mean for people with jobs that are likely to become obsolete or automated soon?

Professional growth is increasingly important to people in every line of work. So employers are investing in learning programs to help attract and retain a future-ready workforce. HR departments are finding that implementing and maintaining effective learning programs is much faster, cheaper, and easier now. That’s because learning systems are adding innovative tech like AI-driven capabilities, interactive video, and augmented reality to improve learning experiences. They also offer APIs to connect learning platforms with other HR and business systems, so employers can more easily assess employee skills, track development progress, and measure learning outcomes.

Ultimately, this means employers are becoming better-equipped to help individuals grow in their careers, while helping their organizations succeed.

4. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Another key HR trend focuses on workforce diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). This isn’t just lip service. It has been a serious priority for years, and the commitment continues. Here’s why:

Studies show that diverse companies outperform others. That’s partially because they can tap into a broader range of employee perspectives — spanning age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and more.

In healthy cultures, all employees are paid equally for similar roles. But that’s not the only requirement. People also need to feel welcome, respected and included in relevant meetings and decisions. These pillars of DEIB are more important than ever in today’s dynamic work world, and they’re becoming even more integral to the fabric of vibrant organizations.

5. People Analytics

For decades, data analytics has played a central role across business disciplines — finance, logistics, e-commerce, sales, marketing, and information technology. Now it is becoming common for HR applications such as learning, recruitment, performance management, and employee experience platforms.

Going forward, HR teams will increasingly rely on people-oriented analytics systems to make evidence-based decisions. For example, when relocating an office, decision makers will want to assess talent, performance, and many other data points to determine who should staff that office.

Also, look for AI to play an increasingly important role in people analytics applications, so organizations can improve decision support, performance analysis, and predictive processes.

6. Employee Experience

Now more than ever, organizations are emphasizing employee experience — including onboarding, workflow, culture, career development, and other aspects of work life. This is because a positive work experience correlates with higher engagement, productivity, satisfaction, commitment, and retention.

Also, employee experience is gaining traction because analytics systems are becoming more prevalent. This means more organizations have the capacity to evaluate the impact of employee-focused initiatives. Measurement typically focuses on onboarding, training, and other career experiences such as project assignments and promotions.

Employee experience is derived from customer experience and personalization initiatives used in marketing to assess customer preferences and develop relationships based on those interests. Similarly, the more an HR organization learns about employees and their preferences, the more effectively it can design custom work experiences with a more positive impact on engagement, performance, morale, and commitment.

7. AI and Automation

I’ve mentioned AI previously, but AI and automation deserve a separate discussion. That’s because both are transforming HR processes by dramatically streamlining tasks and enabling HR teams to focus more on strategic priorities.

AI and automation are critical to people analytics and employee experience initiatives. For instance, they can help detect when an employee is unhappy and at risk of resigning. Then, they can recommend ways to correct the issue before it’s too late.

In addition, these tools can alert HR and business managers when employees aren’t receiving appropriate onboarding or learning support. They can also assess and recommend an employee’s unique training path based on the market’s changing demands and the organization’s talent realities.

AI and automation will increasingly permeate HR, reduce the burden of administrative tasks, and offer invaluable insights regarding employee growth, performance, engagement, satisfaction, and commitment.

Final Thoughts on Current HR Trends

The pandemic unleashed work changes no employer could predict. But that’s only the beginning. Now, changes that started several years ago are leading to even more challenges and opportunities ahead.

In today’s volatile talent market, workers continue to place new demands on employers. Meanwhile, HR tech innovation continues to accelerate, giving organizations even more powerful and effective tools to improve all facets of work. As employers rapidly adopt new tools and techniques to improve organizational impact, the future looks bright across the HR landscape.

The Future of Work: 6 Post-COVID HR Trends to Look Out For

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The first time COVID-19 made its appearance, a lot of uncertainty, fear, and doubt ruled many people’s lives. Since all of it was new, absolutely no one knew exactly what to do.

Nearly two years have passed, and we have gathered all the information and forces available to fight against it. The good news is that we have done it effectively to a great extent, and the current recovery situation is looking optimistic.

However, there is no guarantee that we are ever going “back to normal” since what is “normal” has been completely redefined.

From now on, HR professionals will need to adjust to the new normal. Here are some post-COVID HR trends to be prepared for.

1. A bigger focus on remote work

If there is one thing that the pandemic changed for most employees, it’s remote work. With all the video-conferencing calls via Zoom and Skype, the business world is steadily making its way to normalizing remote working.

While reports show that remote working was already becoming popular before COVID, especially amongst the self-employed, it sped up its pace.

The Pew Research Center reports that prior to the pandemic, about 20 percent of Americans were working remotely. Right now, this number has gone up to 71 percent. And out of that percentage, 54 percent want to continue working remotely.

That said, we expect to see working practices becoming more flexible in time.

Some businesses may even need to invest in more permanent communication tools or services. These should help them keep in touch with their employees and be able to support them.

2. Embracing technology

Technology is always at the forefront of change and will play a significant role in post-COVID HR trends.

When it comes to recruiting new talent, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and blockchain technology will bring more changes in HR. With the possibility of streamlining the hiring process and improving the quality of the hires, the possibilities are endless.

But that’s not all that technology can do. Recruiting tech-savvy candidates that come with digital and transferable skills is more beneficial. This can help create a modern and ever-changing working environment that is adaptable and ready to face any potential challenge.

If you a looking for a winning HR tool, check out the TalentCulture 2021, HR Tech winners here.

3. Prioritizing employee well-being

More and more companies are putting their employees first.

Not only that, but they are also showing a willingness to address any health and safety issues. The trend of adopting a more people-centric company culture as opposed to business-centric is a positive turn of events. Now employers are being more understanding, aware, and flexible in ensuring the well-being of employees.

One way organizations can do this is by providing employees with better rewards and incentives. Time off or holistic benefit offerings can address both their mental and physical concerns.

Many famous companies are leading the way, showing others how it’s done. During the season of reduced demand, Microsoft continued paying their hourly workers who were offering their support. While Starbucks started offering more mental health benefits and therapy sessions to all its U.S.-based employees and family members starting in April 2020.

4. Rethinking current business practices

HR managers need to adapt to changing times, and to do so, they need to do a thorough re-assessment of company policies and practices. They need to look into what worked and didn’t work for employees during the crisis.

While some industries were lucky enough to survive the pandemic, some had cut down staff, or worse, close down.

Deloitte’s Workforce strategies for post-COVID-19 recovery workbook offers a helping hand to all managers who are rethinking their business practices. The workbook focuses on three key pillars: 1) respond, 2) recover, and 3) thrive. Considering every aspect of the business that needs to change, this guide can help organizations succeed.

5. Changing learning and training methods

When it comes to post-COVID HR trends, moving away from face-to-face learning and making use of e-learning resources is likely to be especially valuable.

Online learning has proven to be an effective and reliable method of providing training. In fact, it has been a lifesaver during the difficult coronavirus days. Given that e-learning is inexpensive and more efficient, more businesses will choose to invest in it and replace old training practices.

Webinars, virtual classrooms, online courses, video training, and mobile learning are trending. Many tools that can offer this type of training like LMSs (learning management systems), onboarding tools, and course platforms can improve employee training programs.

6. Relying on data to make decisions

When the financial situation of a business is unsteady, the need to forecast workforce requirements and reduce costs becomes paramount.

In order for HR managers to make well-informed decisions that will help sustain a business, they need to focus on data analytics.

Data analytics will provide the most reliable source of information, helping organizations successfully recruit candidates, as well as measure and monitor employee performance, engagement, and productivity.

A Look Into the Future

All these post-COVID HR trends pave the way for a new direction for the HR industry. New HR practices will soon replace the old, and companies will adopt the ones that will help them grow.

Pay attention to employees’ well-being, exploit all the tools available to you, and make data-driven decisions. Help your company survive through these troubled times and thrive in the future.

Gary Hamel on Workplace Bureaucracy

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The opening keynote speaker at UNLEASH America was Gary Hamel, one of the world’s most influential business thinkers. He is a professor at the London Business School, director of the Management Innovation eXchange and the author of several best-selling books, including “The Future of Management” and “What Matters Now.” Hamel is also the most reprinted author in the history of the Harvard Business Review. He spoke about the stifling effects of top-down management and how we need less — not more — workplace bureaucracy. Here are highlights from Hamel’s Q&A session with the media.

Understanding the Effects of Bureaucracy

“Bureaucracy shackles people with rules that prevent them from doing the best thing for the organization, the best thing for customers,” Hamel says.

He doubts that most organizations have tried to measure the costs of bureaucracy — which include insularity (too much time spent on internal issues, politicking, too much energy spent trying to gain power) and friction (too much busy work that slows down the decision-making process). Other costs include bloating (too many management layers), risk aversion (too many barriers against taking risks) and inertia (too hard to proactively change).

“Without having a benchmark there and any cost data around that, you have no idea what it’s actually costing your organization,” Hamel says.

Ten or 15 years ago, not many companies were concerned about the environmental cost of business. But now, that’s a major issue, and companies have environmental reports. Hamel recommends doing the same with bureaucracy. “If I’m an investor and I understand that this top-heavy, rule-driven culture is going to cause the organization to miss opportunities, miss how to allocate resources and misuse their talent, that is something I want solved.” While CEOs vaguely understand these costs, he says, they haven’t actually calculated the costs and decided this is a problem that needs to be solved.

Embracing Change

It’s possible to run a billion-dollar business with virtually no management layers, though Hamel believes the average person can’t conceive of this idea because they’ve never seen it before. “For example, at GE Aviation, they have 400 employees at the plant and one plant supervisor,” he says. He recommends getting out to see these companies and how they operate to understand how they are able to maintain control, discipline and alignment without a superstructure of supervisors.

“And then you have to be able to find a migration path between the present and the future,” Hamel says. Many post-bureaucratic organizations were formed that way, so they didn’t have to “uninstall” bureaucracy and tear down all of their rules and regulations.

This can be more complicated for more traditional companies because bureaucracy does serve a function. “Even though it has a lot of downsides, bureaucracy is the way we get control and coordination and consistency in large organizations.” If you try to destroy that and start all
over, Hamel warns, that will lead to chaos. “That’s why you need to approach it as migration path as you think about such principles as openness, meritocracy, experimentation and other next-generation management principles.”

He recommends challenging long-held organizational assumptions. “You just assume that power trickles down, you assume that you need managers to manage — but none of these things are eternal truths, they’re not principles of physics.”

Using Technology to Reduce Workplace Bureaucracy

Hamel believes that technology can dramatically change how organizations are run: how to find and hire people, how to make capital and strategic decisions. But right now, technology is primarily being used for white collar productivity (sharing documents, sharing schedules, etc.) or to aggregate information and exert more control. “Managers today have an enormous amount of real-time, microscopic information about performance, and the temptation is to have time cards on steroids.” Managers are paid to control, he says, and he thinks they may use technology to disempower rather than empower workers.

Technology has offered much more choice in our lives as consumers, but where is the equivalent empowerment in the workplace? “Why don’t we design our own jobs? Why don’t we pick our own colleagues? Why don’t we choose our own bosses? Why don’t we approve our own expenses?” That might sound crazy, but Hamel says organizations are doing it.

Hiring strategies are moving toward a consensus model, he says. “Historically at Whole Foods … if you wanted to work there, you would work for a couple of weeks with one of their in-store teams, and it took a 70% vote of the in-store team to hire you.”

Even project development is becoming more democratic. Hamel says that at Chinese manufacturer Haier, every new product starts as an online project with customers. “For example, when they want to develop new air conditioners, they go to social media and ask, ‘What do you want in an air conditioner?’ The first time they did this, they received 700,000 comments and had hundreds of thousands of fans following the project.” The company even uses social media to find technical partners. In one instance, they posted a technical challenge and asked who could solve it. The outcome? Dow Chemical responded, “We can build a membrane for that.”

2016 HR Trends: Back to the Future

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In 2015 we saw the emergence of a number of trends in human resources. The HR landscape is changing more rapidly than ever before. What should we expect from 2016 HR trends? Look for changing in  recruitment through social media, the impact of Generation Z, and the overhaul of performance reviews, were all apparent in 2015. And here’s a trend that will cut across all the others: traditional business practices will be further disrupted by technology.

In fact, according to the Bersin report, it’s likely the entire human resources platform will be accessible from one mobile application. Companies will look to create further employee engagement – employees who are fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work – and undertake further culture management. Tech companies will likely be looking to take advantage of the new generation of HR leaders, all of whom have been accustomed to the use of mobile technology in their personal lives already. So what were some of the other developments that occurred in 2015 and how likely are they to affect 2016?

What changes will the industry see in 2016? And how do they affect your workplace?

According to Dan Schawbel’s 10 workplace trends for 2015 , the workplace should have seen an array  of companies using social media to attract and retain top talent. According to the global recruiting trends report, one of the most effective ways to attract talent in 2015 was still through company career websites and internet job boards. Many believed the job board would die with the advent of social media, however 74 percent of the 4000 interviewed companies said that the internet job board still remained the most effective source of attracting top talent. However, the report went on to say that the fastest growing platform for hires remains for quality social professional networks, such as Linkedin.

2015 saw the introduction of Gen Z into the workforce through internships and traineeships. This post independent, pragmatic and always in a rush generation is determined to succeed. According to Laurence Benhamou, a journalist who penned the article Everything you need to know about Generation Z “this generation’s primary driver is to own and run their own business”. He went on to say that “76 percent of this generation are aiming to make a hobby out of their job and they believe that their success comes from their ‘network’ instead of their qualifications”. How did they perform in the workplace in 2015?

A recent report compiled by Adecco outlined what Gen Z expects in the workplace. Their top priority is obtaining their dream job within 10 years time, so companies have to focus on talent development and career growth. Out of the 1000 students surveyed, 36 percent cited that opportunity for growth is their number one priority when looking for employment. While a further 19 percent wanted their roles to be somehow associated to their personal interests.

The annual performance review was bound to get a revamp in 2015. According to data obtained from the management research firm CEB, 6 percent of Fortune 500 companies have stopped using annual performance reviews and forced rankings. This year we saw both Deloitte and Accenture dumping and redesigning performance reviews, in favor of more continuous and ongoing feedback.

Considering performance reviews had never been through any “upgrade”, the process was in need of a complete overhaul. According to a public survey conducted by Deloitte, 58 percent of their managers stated that traditional performance reviews do not serve its purpose. Deloitte has since moved over to a design which recognises, understands and fuels performance. Tech companies are rethinking the way in which companies are conducting performance reviews, focusing on ongoing and real-time feedback.

2016 HR Trends: Looking Ahead

What are the biggest trends we can see going forward? What is likely to disrupt the way in which companies view the workplace and how does HR fit into this ever changing work environment? In this new world of work, we are seeing the line between work life and personal life becoming obsolete, employees are now hyperconnected to their roles, and technology is likely to have  an even greater impact on business in 2016. Information is accessible with a simple tap of a screen or wearable device, providing key data insights into companies and ambitious startups alike.

The workplace and mobile applications

According to the KPCB report, there are now more than 2.1 billion smartphone users on the planet. Mobile internet growth increased by 69 percent in 2014 and will continue to grow at a rapid pace. For the study, 1019 millennials were interviewed and found that 78 percent of interviewee’s smartphones never left their side, being the first thing they look at when they wake and the last thing they look at when they go to sleep. A further 60 percent believed that by 2020, every daily activity will be done through a smartphone. In 2016 there is a good chance that this mobile technology will spill over into the HR space. Companies will need to “appify” their HR tools, in order to engage and understand employees in a more quantifiable manner. According to the Bersin report in 2016, it’s likely that we will see a breakthrough in engagement and feedback systems, as well as apps for learning, employee feedback and performance check-ins. It is also likely that there will be more applications for time and attendance management, expense reimbursement; employee directories and collaboration, as well as, applications for video interviewing, recruitment and candidate marketing.

The return of the employee

In an era where job-hopping amongst young professionals has become the norm, millennial employees will likely be seen again in the future. According to the workplace trends report, 76 percent of the organizations interviewed preferred rehiring ex employees, as these employees require less training, as they were aware of the business practices already and generally a better culture fit. The report went on to say that in the past 5 years, 85 percent of the companies interviewed, received job applications from previous employees. What’s more, 40 percent of these companies said that they hired those employees. Several factors are contributing to this new phenomenon. Social media sites are making it easier for company leaders and managers to keep in contact with previous employees. With digital profiles of ex employees being stored more regularly, companies are now able to get historical information of previous employees more quickly and timely. There are a number of benefits to hiring a boomerang employee. When employees leave the company, they gain valuable skills and expand their professional networks. When they eventually return, they come with a wealth of experience and extensive networks from which a company can benefit from. What’s more is that these employees boost office morale, streamline reentry into the workplace culture, and require less information when onboarding, making it more agile and faster to bring ex employees up to speed.

The millennial manager

Generation Y is currently the largest generation in the workplace, so it’s inevitable that business will see them as leaders in the near future. As this generation continues to mature, they will move into leadership roles in ways that are much different than generations before them. Often these millennials do not have prerequisites of certain job titles or even experience. In a study compiled by Virtuali, 71 percent of millennials already consider themselves to be leaders in their personal capacity  (even though less than half interviewed had held any formal leadership positions). The majority of these millennials consider themselves “situational leaders” – leaders in project teams, volunteering their experiences and influencing people. The report goes on to say that 64 percent of respondents  do not feel they are fully prepared to be leaders yet, mostly because they lack the ability to manage and develop other employees. According to the report compiled by workplace trends, nearly 50 percent of millennials surveyed defined leadership as empowering others to succeed. A more compassionate leadership style will be the trademark of the millennial manager. Millennials like to collaborate with their peers in order to achieve objectives and are transformational leaders. Using strong teaming skills, millennial leaders consider creating leadership teams in order to share the demanding workload.

Wearing productivity

In 2015 there was a growing trend toward wearable technology, such as smart bands and smartwatches, in the workplace. These devices have the ability to track, monitor and store data about an employee’s efficiencies and wellness in the workplace. In 2015, British Petroleum distributed 24500 fitbits to track employees health and wellness. According to the wearable technology report, around 2000 companies worldwide will offer their employees fitness trackers in 2016. What’s more, more than 60 percent of millennials in the report said that they would be willing to wear smart devices, provided that they increased efficiencies and productivity. Smart devices are likely to increase efficiencies incrementally as tasks, such as checking email and checking in at the office, will become streamlined to the wrist. From 2015, workplace software Kronos, says it’s expanding its platform to smart devices to offer tracking and communication capabilities. This new technology is likely to take advantage of the 24/7 business environment, quickly retrieving information and notifying employees quicker than any other smart mobile device.

Conclusion

Be prepared for the eventuality of mobile applications in the workplace –  with mobile applications being on the upward trend and millennials entering leadership roles, it means that there will be an increasing likelihood that business functions will all be mobile in 2016. These mobile applications will increase are likely to increase productivity and take advantage of the 24/7 workplace.

  • Be open to returning employees – it’s likely there will be more and more ‘boomerang’ employees. These individuals will be returning with enormous wealth of experience. make sure you can take advantage of this by creating ‘returning’ policies.
  • It’s likely there will be some millennial managers in the workplace from next year – create a workplace that is conducive to their managerial style and set up leadership training so they can take full advantage of their already strong desire to lead. get them into the mindset to give and receive open and honest feedback.

A version of this post was first published on the impraise.com blog. (Author Matias Rodsevich)

photo credit: Scrabble – Position via photopin (license)

#TChat Preview: The Hot HR Technology Trends Of 2014

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The TalentCulture #TChat Show is back live on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, from 7-8 pm ET (4-5 pm PT). The #TChat radio portion runs the first 30 minutes from 7-7:30 pm ET, followed by the #TChat Twitter chat from 7:30-8 pm ET.

Last week we talked about values based leadership and this week we’re going to talk about the state of HR Technology with a co-chair of Human Resource Executive’s HR Technology® Conference and a technology editor for LRP Publications. He also writes an HR blog and hosts the HR Happy Hour Show, a radio program and podcast.

Yeah, that guy — Mr. Steve Boese.

Employee engagement and recognition, company culture, cloud computing, HR data management, talent analytics and integrated HR and talent acquisition and management systems continue to be hot trends in the HR tech space, not to mention social collaboration and video (from recruitment to onboarding to core talent management).

And a better user experience to boot is what it’s all about today. There’s a renaissance of new edge applications improving recruiting, learning and talent engagement, and HR buyers are more sophisticated that ever before.

And we have a bonus round. Our #TChat community members can get $600 off of the HR Tech Conference full rate (expires August 4). Pssst…the secret code is TW14 (case sensitive).

This year’s HR Technology Conference & Exposition is coming up fast (October 7-10), so join #TChat co-creators and hosts Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman as we learn more about the state of HR technology with this week’s guest: Steve Boese, a co-chair of Human Resource Executive’s HR Technology® Conference and a technology editor for LRP Publications.

Sneak Peek: The Hot HR Technology Trends of 2014

We spoke briefly with Scott Boese in our video preview to learn more about this week’s #TChat topic. Check out our YouTube Channel for the full video!

Related Reading:

Steve Boese: Which Tech Advice Is Good Advice? #SHRM14

John Sumser: Find The Thread In HR Technology

Meghan M. Biro: The Hot HR Technology Trends Of 2014

Stephanie Reyes: HR Technology – From Thought To Action

Trish McFarlane: HR Technology: Little Training, Big Regrets (KnowledgeGraphic)

Todd Raphael: More Alphas, More Betas, More Vegans In The Recruiting Technology Startup World

Sneak Peek: The Hot HR Technology Trends Of 2014

We hope you’ll join the #TChat conversation this week and share your questions, opinions and ideas with our guests and the TalentCulture Community.

#TChat Events: The Hot HR Technology Trends Of 2014

TChatRadio_logo_020813#TChat Radio — Wed, July 23 — 7 pmET / 4 pm PT Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with our guest Steve Boese.

Tune-in LIVE online this Wednesday!

#TChat Twitter Chat — Wed, July 23 — 7 pmET / 4 pm PT Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Kevin and our guests will move to the #TChat Twitter stream, where we’ll continue the discussion with the entire TalentCulture community. Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we gather for a dynamic live chat, focused on these related questions:

Q1: What’s new or interesting in HR technology today? #TChat (Tweet this Question)

Q2: What are the reasons why recruiting and learning technologies are in high demand? #TChat (Tweet this Question)

Q3: What are key HR buyer questions about technology and implementation? #TChat (Tweet this Question)

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed, and in our new TalentCulture G+ community. So feel free to drop by anytime and share your questions, ideas and opinions. See you there!!

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday.

To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

photo credit: Matthew Clark Photography & Design via photopin cc

Compliance: Why It's The Only Fix For Candidate Experience

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Candidate experience is one of those terms recruiters just can’t seem to shut up about. But unlike the blizzard of buzzwords mostly designed to sell consulting services and content marketing, it’s one that we should be discussing more. The reason is (unlike, say, employer branding), candidate experience actually is a concept that has real impact on real people and real recruiters every day.

Forget, for a second, the normal argument about business value and brand equity that seems inexorably intertwined with the candidate experience conversation. It’s actually kind of sad that we need to frame basic courtesy as a business case. Forget, also, the fact that many of the issues around candidate experience stem from bad technology and process, not necessarily bad recruiters.

Recruiting’s Problem Child

Candidate experience is perhaps the only issue every recruiter seems to agree on, with minimal dissent. We bicker all day about minutiae like in-house vs. third party, or when’s the best time of the day to send a job-related tweet — but no one disagrees with the fundamental facts that candidate experience counts, and that what we’re doing to fix it isn’t working.

The data generated by initiatives like the Candidate Experience Awards and products like Mystery Applicant provide valuable benchmarks. However, meaningful metrics and actionable insights simply reinforce a hypothesis upon which everyone already agrees, but treats with apathy more often than action.

Candidate Experience Petition Change.org US Dept of Labor

See the Candidate Experience petition at Change.org

Who Can Fix Candidate Experience?

It’s time to reframe the candidate experience discussion. We need to move from identifying the problem (we know it exists) and pinpointing its causes (the “why” is really irrelevant), to what companies actually can do about it. But that seems unlikely, because this issue is so big, and employers have been getting it so wrong for so long. What’s more, the HR industry seems more concerned with candidate experience as a commodity instead of an issue that demands conscious, meaningful change from the inside out. Instead, an improved candidate experience must start with the candidates themselves – and we’re all candidates, eventually.

Recently, I surveyed various professional networks and career-focused social media groups about this topic. Although the methodology was informal and unscientific, the results are noteworthy. For example, 80% of candidates (and about 50% of career services professionals and coaches) have never even heard of the term “candidate experience.” That low Q score likely skews high, considering the source – primarily active candidates who also engage about their searches on social media. Interestingly, this same group of non-mystery applicants also seems convinced that searching for jobs is a pain in the ass, applying online takes too much time, and they’ll likely never hear back from employers or recruiters who receive their application.

We’re not going to solve this issue overnight. But the first step (one that too often seems overlooked) is simple. Candidates need to recognize that it doesn’t have to be this way, and make their voices heard. We’ve done a good job of “managing” — and diminishing — candidate expectations to the point where they’re essentially minimal. But if job seekers demand better — if candidates say that this isn’t the way hiring should be — then employers will eventually listen. But how can we be sure they’ll actually do something to improve the status quo?

How You Can Help, Starting Now

Compliance is a sure bet. That’s why I established a petition over at Change.org calling for the U.S. Department of Labor – the same feared entity which keeps so many HR generalists so busy – to create specific guidelines and specific penalties for candidate experience.

Because in HR, it’s hard to change a mindset. It’s far easier to change the law. So please sign the petition now and make your voice count. I welcome your revisions, suggestions and/or comments.

Image Credit: Change.org

Compliance: Why It’s The Only Fix For Candidate Experience

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Candidate experience is one of those terms recruiters just can’t seem to shut up about. But unlike the blizzard of buzzwords mostly designed to sell consulting services and content marketing, it’s one that we should be discussing more. The reason is (unlike, say, employer branding), candidate experience actually is a concept that has real impact on real people and real recruiters every day.

Forget, for a second, the normal argument about business value and brand equity that seems inexorably intertwined with the candidate experience conversation. It’s actually kind of sad that we need to frame basic courtesy as a business case. Forget, also, the fact that many of the issues around candidate experience stem from bad technology and process, not necessarily bad recruiters.

Recruiting’s Problem Child

Candidate experience is perhaps the only issue every recruiter seems to agree on, with minimal dissent. We bicker all day about minutiae like in-house vs. third party, or when’s the best time of the day to send a job-related tweet — but no one disagrees with the fundamental facts that candidate experience counts, and that what we’re doing to fix it isn’t working.

The data generated by initiatives like the Candidate Experience Awards and products like Mystery Applicant provide valuable benchmarks. However, meaningful metrics and actionable insights simply reinforce a hypothesis upon which everyone already agrees, but treats with apathy more often than action.

Candidate Experience Petition Change.org US Dept of Labor

See the Candidate Experience petition at Change.org

Who Can Fix Candidate Experience?

It’s time to reframe the candidate experience discussion. We need to move from identifying the problem (we know it exists) and pinpointing its causes (the “why” is really irrelevant), to what companies actually can do about it. But that seems unlikely, because this issue is so big, and employers have been getting it so wrong for so long. What’s more, the HR industry seems more concerned with candidate experience as a commodity instead of an issue that demands conscious, meaningful change from the inside out. Instead, an improved candidate experience must start with the candidates themselves – and we’re all candidates, eventually.

Recently, I surveyed various professional networks and career-focused social media groups about this topic. Although the methodology was informal and unscientific, the results are noteworthy. For example, 80% of candidates (and about 50% of career services professionals and coaches) have never even heard of the term “candidate experience.” That low Q score likely skews high, considering the source – primarily active candidates who also engage about their searches on social media. Interestingly, this same group of non-mystery applicants also seems convinced that searching for jobs is a pain in the ass, applying online takes too much time, and they’ll likely never hear back from employers or recruiters who receive their application.

We’re not going to solve this issue overnight. But the first step (one that too often seems overlooked) is simple. Candidates need to recognize that it doesn’t have to be this way, and make their voices heard. We’ve done a good job of “managing” — and diminishing — candidate expectations to the point where they’re essentially minimal. But if job seekers demand better — if candidates say that this isn’t the way hiring should be — then employers will eventually listen. But how can we be sure they’ll actually do something to improve the status quo?

How You Can Help, Starting Now

Compliance is a sure bet. That’s why I established a petition over at Change.org calling for the U.S. Department of Labor – the same feared entity which keeps so many HR generalists so busy – to create specific guidelines and specific penalties for candidate experience.

Because in HR, it’s hard to change a mindset. It’s far easier to change the law. So please sign the petition now and make your voice count. I welcome your revisions, suggestions and/or comments.

Image Credit: Change.org

High Tech or High Touch? #TChat Recap

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Epic Times in HR Innovation

For geeks in the TalentCulture community, this was a red-letter week. We saw an impressive spectrum of innovative technology solutions roll through the HRO Today Forum in Philadelphia.

As planned, TalentCulture founders, Meghan Biro and Kevin Grossman were on-hand each day — sharing photos, updates and color commentary, live on the #TChat stream. It was like opening a virtual window into the state of HR innovation — and along with it, a perfect springboard to discuss promising “world of work” technologies and best practices.

I dialed-in from a distance, and couldn’t help feeling drawn to the energy of the iTalent innovation showdown (which Connect6° won, by the way), as well as the enthusiasm of #TChat-ters who openly exchanged ideas about HR tech at our Wednesday Twitter discussion. (See complete highlights in the Storify slideshow near the end of this post.)

Key Takeaway: Seek Balance

So, did we reach consensus about technology’s role in acquiring and nurturing talent? Did we agree on what matters most — high tech or high touch?

Wait. That’s not the right question. This isn’t a zero-sum game. Instead, shouldn’t we ask something more useful? Try this:

How well are we balancing the natural tension between “high tech” and “high touch,” for best results in our organization?

Truth is, there will never be a “final answer.” In an ever-changing business environment, we’ll always be seeking true north. A commitment to continuous improvement can help. But even with constant recalibration, it’s easy to miss the mark. So, for future reference, maybe we should tuck this tiny nugget of #TChat advice into the back of our minds:

Whatever helps us go THERE should be good. Thanks for the reminder, Zachary!

#TChat Week-in-Review

SUN 4/28

Forbes.com: TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro, set the stage for the week in her post: “HR Technology: A Revolution for the World of Work.”

MON 4/29

Publication1

Watch Tim’s G+ Hangout videos in his #TChat Preview

Meghan on Monday: To start the week, Meghan expanded on her Forbes commentary in a message to the TalentCulture community: “HR Tech as High Art and Deep Science.”

#TChat Preview: Our community manager, Tim McDonald, outlined the theme and key questions in a preview post: “Live From the Edge of HR Innovation,” featuring brief video interviews with four of the five finalists in this year’s HRO Today Forum iTalent Competition.

WED 5/1

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the radio show recording now

#TChat Radio: In a special 1-hour “open mic” roundtable live from the HRO Today Forum social media lounge, Jessica Miller-Merrell (Blogging4Jobs), Matt Charney (Talemetry), and a variety of other conference attendees talked with Meghan and Kevin about the changing role of HR, and technology’s role in supporting that shift.

Partner News: Speaking of innovative HR technology, we announced a partnership with Achievers this week — our first formal business alliance in TalentCulture’s 3-year history. Exciting stuff. Learn more in “TalentCulture + Achievers: Better Together!”

#TChat Twitter: Our expanding community gathered around the #TChat Twitter stream, as Achievers Community Manager, Katie Paterson, led us in a real-time exchange of ideas about innovation in HR practices and technology. The feed lit-up with great ideas and interaction throughout the hour. Watch highlights below:

#TChat Twitter Highlights Slideshow: “Live From the Edge of HR Innovation”

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/tchat-insights-live-from-the-edge-of-hr-innovatio.js?template=slideshow”]

Closing Notes & What’s Ahead

SPECIAL THANKS: Again, thanks to the HROToday Forum social media team for sharing their perspectives live from the conference, and thanks to Achievers Social Community Manager, Katie Paterson, for spearheading this week’s #TChat Twitter conversation. You brought insight, humor and energy that everyone could feel.

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about HR Innovation or related issues? We’re happy to share your thoughts. Just post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.

WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week, education and social learning advocate, Angela Maiers, returns to talk about how our nation can prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s business and technology leaders. Stay tuned for a “sneak peek” video in our preview this weekend!

Until then, as always, the World of Work conversation continues each day. So join us on the #TChat Twitter stream, or on our new LinkedIn discussion group. And feel free to explore other areas of our redesigned website. The lights are always on at TalentCulture, and your ideas and opinions are always welcome.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Image credit: Pixabay

Live From the Edge of HR Innovation #TChat Preview

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(Editor’s Note: For full insights from this week’s events see High Tech or High Touch? #TChat Recap.)

On The Road Again

It’s a huge week ahead in Philadelphia at the HRO Today Forum — not just for #TChat-ters, but also for some of the most innovative vendors in the HR space.

As we mentioned several weeks ago, TalentCulture co-founders Meghan Biro and Kevin Grossman will be front-and-center throughout the conference, where they’ll do triple duty:

Meghan equates the iTalent competition to a reality show like “The Voice” (or, as she explained last year, “The X Factor”) — a live “show-and-tell” experience for HR professionals who obsess over innovative ideas and technologies. But I think anyone who likes to stay ahead of business and technology trends will find it fascinating.

Hangout Now With iTalent Finalists

Last week on the Reach-West Blog, Kevin introduced the five finalists:

You can get a taste of the “iTalent Five” right now by watching my sneak-peek interviews with representatives from several of these organizations:

John Younger, President, CEO and Mojo Master at Accolo HireMojo, talks his organization’s vision and ability to dramatically accelerate the hiring process:

Christopher Hohman, Co-Founder of Connect6°, explains how this powerful recruiting platform leverages social networks to connect companies and candidates more easily and effectively:

Ed Newman, Vice President of Strategy at iMomentous, talks about how and why it’s vital to find and engage talent through mobile channels:

Mark Talaba, EVP and a Principal at The Gabriel Institute, discusses Teamability — a new way to help business understand and measure how people work together:

#TChat Events

Inspired by advancements from organizations like these, we’ll be putting HR innovation in the spotlight throughout the week in #TChat events. Whether your’re at the HRO Today Forum in person — or connecting from a distance — it should be a great way to learn about what’s hot in talent-related technology. So join the TalentCulture conversation, and let’s explore the possibilities:

TChatRadio_logo_020813#TChat Radio — Wed, May 1 — 4pmET / 1pmPT

Special 1-hour time slot!

Live from the HRO Today Forum’s social media lounge, Jessica Miller-Merrell (Blogging4Jobs) and Matt Charney (Talemetry) talk with our hosts, Meghan and Kevin, about HR’s role in shaping today’s business landscape, and technology’s role in that mission.

#TChat Twitter — Wednesday May 1 — 7pmET / 4pmPT

Everyone is welcome at our open, online Twitter forum, where executives from Achievers (employee recognition software innovators) will lead us in a real-time exchange of ideas about these key questions:

Q1:  What leading-edge HR processes are truly best practices? Why?
Q2:  What innovations in HR technology are helping business grow? Why?
Q3:  How can HR leaders drive revenue growth in their organizations? Why?
Q4:  How can HR leaders better develop and manage multiple talent ecosystems? Why?
Q5:  “Employee engagement” gets buzz in today’s world of work. Is it legit? Why/not?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our new LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Image credit: Pixabay

Talent Leadership & a $124 Billion Question: #TChat Preview

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Great news is unfolding or so it seems. It appears that job growth is not only on the upswing but also showing sustained growth. For the first time in years the unemployment rate is under 8.5 percent (although it’s easy to quibble with what the ‘rate’ really measures). All this is good news for the recruiting/talent industry, which, according to Josh Bersin, is a $124 billion USD market….Did I just say that?!

If things are looking up, then, why are so many Leaders, CEOs putting the brakes on recruiting expenditures and hiring?

For starters, 2011 was the year social recruiting took off. Arguably it’s more cost-effective to use social channels than it is to bring in an outsourced or contingent recruiting firm. Add talent management and talent community software, and you’ve brought a new level of automation to recruiting, using social channels, at a much lower price point than would be possible using a big-name firm (or even a few hyper connected talent management pros – we still exist too).

Secondly, CEOs worry about a lot of stuff, and recruiting talent is not always in the top five unfortunately. CEOs worry about the Board of Directors, hitting financial targets, maintaining leadership in their industries, staying ahead of competitors and maintaining positive brand awareness. While having the right people on board affects all of these, it’s not, by itself, a CEO’s job 1. So tell the CEO you need to spend X dollars on recruiting and he or she is going to ask why. And you better have a compelling, fact-based story.

Third, social media’s impact on recruiting talent has changed everything for all of us. I mean EVERYTHING. We’re talking more than LinkedIn, which by itself was a game-changer. Back to talent communities, talent management software and other uses of social media in the workplace – recruiters have to be ahead of the trends and adjust their business models accordingly. Those who don’t will fail. Maybe not tomorrow, but definitely in the short-term future. Leaders need to adjust models for hiring talent as well. This cuts both ways.

So while the economy may be adding around 200,000 jobs a month, fewer of those will be sourced via traditional recruiting. New recruiting models are emerging every month. So this week on TalentCulture’s World of Work –AKA #TChat– we’re going to have a difficult discussion for Leaders, HR and recruiting rock stars about 2012 Recruiting Trends. We rotate topics every week that are timely to bring you the latest and greatest information.

Yes, so much unfolds, but who is getting in on this giant market? How can leaders decide what to do next?

So let’s come together to explore what to do with the $124 billion dollar industry. Because you can’t buy every single recruiting model at once. Or can you?  Join us Wednesday night on #TChat The World of Work February 8th from 7-8 pm ET (6-7 CT, 4-5 pm PT), where recruiting and leadership “buy in” topics are in the hot seat. Join me, Kevin Grossman, Maren Hogan, Sean Charles and Kyle Lagunas for a very special #TChat.

Here are this week’s #TChat questions:

Q1: According to Bersin, the US “recruiting” market is $124 billion, but CEOs are putting the squeeze on costs? Why?

Q2: What kinds of recruiting practices will lead the charge in 2012 and why?

Q3: Does recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) damage or enhance a company’s recruiting practice? Why or why not?

Q4: Is the contract recruiting model old school and costly? Why or why not?

Q5: What other recruiting models, both corporate or contract, are emerging and why?